Dodge Dakota YEARS

REVIEWS

For 2005, the third-gen Dakota gained creased sheetmetal, an oversize grille, and a spruced-up interior riding on a new chassis featuring boxed frame members and a revised front suspension for 2WD and 4WD models.

After it competed in last year's Truck of the Year, the newly redesigned Dodge Dakota begged for a closer look, so we welcomed a 2005 Dakota Quad Cab 4x4 Laramie into our family of long-term vehicles. There's value in testing trucks and SUVs over longer periods of time to report on how they last whe

The 2005 Dodge Dakota T/A, a truck with a real attitude, courtesy of a tweaked 4.7-liter Magnum V-8 engine, a limited-slip differential, bucket seats, and a console that is pure musclecar--or should we say muscle truck?

The trend is clear: Nobody wants to make a compact pickup anymore. The 2005 model year seems to mark the death of the compact and renaissance of the midsize. Previous Dakotas have been ahead of the curve, always larger than their competitors.

After years of dormancy, the compact/midsize truck market is suddenly boiling over with new products. Last year brought fresh entries from GMC and Chevrolet, and before 2005 is over we'll see new rigs from Toyota and Nissan, plus the fresh Dodge Dakota pictured here.